A former Conservative minister has accused the government of blacklisting dissenters in contests for senior public jobs, after claiming she was overlooked for high-profile roles at Ofcom and the Charity Commission.
Anna Soubry, whose ministerial career ran from 2012 to 2016 and spanned three departments, told the Guardian she believed her opposition to Brexit and criticism of the prime minister, Boris Johnson, meant her applications for the jobs were ignored.
The former TV journalist, who now works as a criminal defense barrister in the East Midlands after losing her Commons seat in December 2019, said she was not called for an interview for jobs as the chair of the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, or the chair of the Charity Commission. Both appointments are made by ministers.
She said she had also been overlooked for a non-executive director role at Channel 4. The recruitment process is managed by Ofcom with the final decision made by ministers, the regulator said.
This story is from the November 10, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 10, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Calvert-Lewin ruins title dreams of reckless Reds
The final Merseyside derby of Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool reign might well prove the final blow to his dream of saying goodbye with the Premier League title.
West Ham hold positive talks with Lopetegui
West Ham have held productive talks with the former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui over replacing David Moyes this summer.
Fernandes inspires comeback win to ease pressure on Ten Hag
With 80 minutes gone Bruno Fernandes collected a Kobbie Mainoo pass and with a swish of his left foot fired a laser past Wes Foderingham and Manchester United were 3-2 ahead. The question, now, was could they at last hang on a lead.
Overton injury gives England headache for T20 World Cup
England have seen their selection for the T20 World Cup complicated by a back injury to Jamie Overton and now face an anxious two-week wait to discover the full extent of the allrounder's problem.
Raducanu struggles to find energy as she crashes out to qualifier
The great challenge of professional tennis is not just performing at a high level but doing so week after week, regardless of the conditions, for a sustained period of time.
How's stat? Why head-to-head battles only add to the rich tapestry of Test cricket drama
Let's start, as all bad pieces of writing should, with a cliche: cricket is an individual sport dressed as a team game. Every match comprises hundreds or thousands of contests between a batter and a bowler.
Designer labels owed millions after collapse of Matches
Designer brands including Gucci and Anya Hindmarch have been left millions of pounds out of pocket and some customers will not get refunds after online fashion site Matchesfashion collapsed owing more than £210m last month.
Bend it like the Mona Lisa? Yoga in Louvre to celebrate Paris Olympics
The Louvre museum in Paris is planning yoga and sport sessions in its galleries as part of a city-wide cultural programme before this summer's Olympics.
Spears taken by Captain Cook returned to Aboriginal owners
Four spears stolen from Kamay, now known as Botany Bay in Australia, by Captain James Cook and his crew have been returned to their traditional owners after more than 250 years.
Idaho's abortion rules too tough to comply with federal health law, supreme court told
The US supreme court faced its second judgment on abortion rights in the space of a month yesterday, as judges prepared to rule whether the state of Idaho's tough rules on the procedure breached a federal law.